POLICE FIRING ON SANTALS
Writ seeks legality of firing order
Santals to get govt houses, says home minister
Three human rights organisations yesterday filed a writ petition jointly with the High Court challenging the legality of using firearms by police on Santal people in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha during a clash between the lawenforcers and the Santal tribesmen over a land dispute on November 6.
Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD) and Brotee Foundation filed the writ with the related branch of the High Court seeking its directive upon the government to ensure security for the Santals. The writ also sought explanation from the police on under what authority they opened fires on the tribesmen at Sahebganj of Gaibandha on November 6.
It also sought explanation on what steps the government has taken so far to compensate the Santal victims and arrest the perpetrators who were responsible for the attack on the Santals.
The petition also sought HC directives upon the government to ensure security of Santal properties and their free movement. Secretary to the home ministry, inspector generalof police (IGP), Gaibandha deputy commissioner (DC), Gaibandha superintendent of police (SP) and Gobindaganj police officer-in-charge (OC) have been made respondents to the petition.
Advocate ZI Khan Panna, counsel for the petitioners, told reporters that he would move before a HC bench on Thursday (today) for holding a hearing on the petition.
Santals of Sahebganj-Bagda Farm area in Gobindaganj came under police firing on November 6 when they protested eviction from their ancestral land by a group of people allegedly loyal to the local lawmaker. The evictors drove the Santals away, looted their homes, and burned those to the ground.
